Artemis Fowl broken lines
by drowning dark silver gold
Summary: Mud men- with help from fairy technoogy- try to distroy the LEP
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: You know Artimis? And Butler? And Root? And all that? I don't own them... sucks doesn't it?  
  
Chapter 1  
  
A light blue glow lit Artimis' pale face like the green glow of a nuclear substance, as the computer searched over the Internet. Most of the room was dark; no lights had been turned on for it had been light when Atrimis had started his search. He had made numerus ads for any fairy sighting with a high price tag in different languages, learning a few short sentences in Japanese and Chinese along the way. He clicked open his E-mail's 'Out look express'. He hadn't opened the file for what seemed a year now; he had no need, with no one to E-mail him (Unless of course it was urgent and was sent to his mobile) he had left the device alone. But now with the ads popping up all over the Internet he reopened it. He had a feeling of emptiness in side. Something he rarely felt. Like some thing was missing, forgotten.  
  
"What are you doing?" Atrimis spun on his chair to face his mother, Angeline Fowl. He had been so focused on his work he wouldn't have noticed a troll entering (Although I'm sure the smell would of gotten to him after a minute or two.).  
  
Artimis opened his mouth but for once no words came out. When he was only twelve he had gotten a fairy to help his mothers sickness, but only for his own good, if he could of remembered that, he would have been regretting that moment.  
  
"Was checking my E-mails," he said with a sweet smile. His mothers face lit up, he knew she'd be happy. She thought he'd finally made some friends, well, at least some she knew about. She lent over his shoulder,  
  
"Who from?"  
  
"Oh, erm, Nancy," He lied glancing at the E-mail.  
  
"What a pretty name," sighed his mother, "You would of being called that if you were a girl," Artimis shuddered. "Mmm,"  
  
"Can I read it?" Artimis' stomach turned.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Can I read it?" It wasn't really a question though; she had reached over and opened the E-mail.  
  
Tekna Park, 4:30, meet ya there.  
  
TZ,  
  
"Mmm," his mother seemed half confused.  
  
"We're meeting for homework," Artimis said quickly, another lie. "She goes to an all girls school, I offered to tutor her."  
  
"Oh Arty!" his mother seemed even more thrilled. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Um, surprise?" His mother's eyes watered. She gave him a quick peak on the cheek and left. Artimis wiped his cheek and wrote a quick reply to the E-mail.  
  
Bring a girl. 14-16 yrs.  
  
He didn't have to wait long, after a few short minutes he got a reply.  
  
Im nt answrin ur pitiful 'fairy' ad, jst b on tme.  
  
This time it was missing a few vales and was rushed. Artimis' eyebrows knotted. He'd meet them, but no quite alone.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Artimis and Butler stood, waiting at Tekna Park, it was a cool winters morn and their breath formed little clouds in front of their faces. A few pairs were walking around together, a man was playing with his dog and a cat was sleeping in a tree. The only one Artimis could expect to be the E-mailer was the man with the dog, he seemed to cough a lot, and if you looked closely you could see his lips forming small words.  
  
"So where is she?" Artimis sighed, why did she come?  
  
"I dunno," he shrugged to his mother. "She's always late," he mumbled. Butler smiled to himself, Artimis glared at him, he had told the manservant about the e-mail and both thought it important, unfortunately Mrs fowl insisted on meeting Artimis' 'friend'.  
  
"Is that her?" she asked pointing to a pale girl with long dark jeans and a long beige jacket and a pair of dark sunglasses, who was stalking towards them.  
  
"Umm," Artimis hesitated. "I..."  
  
"Hey Arti!" the girl waved.  
  
"Yeah that's her," he sighed with relief. The girl trotted over he pale face and dark features made her look almost unhuman.  
  
"Hi," she smiled sweetly showing, what was hard to see, but defiantly was a retainer covering her teeth.  
  
"Uh, Hi," Artimis smiled, Arti? What kind of nickname was that?  
  
"I found this in my locker and it had your name on it," she said handing him a folded letter, Artimis pocketed the note quickly. "Hello, are you Mrs Fowl?" Artimis' mother almost jumped with delight.  
  
"You must be Nancy," she shook her hand warmly, "Arty told me all about you."  
  
The girls smile broadened, showing her canines, either because Mrs Fowl thought her name was 'Nancy' or because she had called a criminal master mind 'Arty".  
  
"Yeah, Artimis is a great tutor," Artimis glared at her, he didn't know why, he just didn't like her.  
  
"So what does he tutor?" Artimis' stomach turned.  
  
"English," the girl answered quickly, "I have a disorder," she trailed off, Mrs Fowl seemed overwhelmed in sorrow.  
  
"I..." BEEP BEEP, Mrs Fowls phone when of, she glanced at the screen and smiled at Nancy.  
  
"I've got to go love, nice meeting you," Mrs Fowl trotted over to the edge of the park and called a taxi, as soon as she had left Butler placed a hand on the girls shoulder. She shuddered, not with cold, but sheer fear. Artimis smiled his famous vamper smile.  
  
"Take your hand off her," the man with the dog ordered leaning over Artimis' shoulder. A cold gun barrel pressed against Artimis' side. Artimis nodded at Butler who took his hand back, the girl sighed deeply with relief and shifted away. Colour seemed to sink back into her face.  
  
"Just read the letter," hissed the man taking the gun from his side and walking of with the girl. Artimis shook himself loosely.  
  
"Got their ID?" Butler smiled gleefully.  
  
"Finger prints, photo, and car keys," he said smiling like a child and dangling a pair of keys in front of him. Atimis nodded in thought.  
  
Butler tried to capture his gaze for a moment, when he did he glanced at his pocket. The letter.  
  
Artimis unravelled it. The first thing he noticed that indeed his name was not on the letter, if his mother had seen it she to would have been suspicious, but she had been to engulfed with her son having a friend that, luckily, she hadn't noticed. The second that the writing was like the second E-mail, the girl had said she had trouble with English; it may have been true for there were no full stops capital letters or commas.  
  
even if you got home no it would be to late  
  
Butler glanced at the letter.  
  
"Home?" Artimis paused, could it be a trap?  
  
"Yes, but take the back way..."  
  
~*~*~  
  
Holly pushed through the crowds to the LEP building, the usual were there, asking, wanting, demanding, and offending. Whatever. Holly had been able to switch off when she was in the crowd. She ignored the people and their problems, not even taking the time to tell them to move, she just pushed through. As she walked in she automatically headed for Roots office. She had gotten so used to it, it had become nature.  
  
"HOLLY!" that was her cue. Holly opened the door to reveal Root with one of his famous fungus sagas hanging out of his mouth. "Do you remember when I asked for these reports?" he demaded tapping a file with his finger. Holly sighed, stupid reports. Everything was so boring lately. If it wasn't for Foaly constantly annoying Root her job would be fruitless, this morning it seemed Foaly had already gotten to Root, his face was a light shade of red. Very pretty.  
  
"Yeah," she mumbled,  
  
"And when was that?"  
  
"Last week,"  
  
"And you handed them in...?"  
  
Why did he ask a question when he already knew the answer?  
  
"Yesterday."  
  
"YESTERDAY!" exclaimed Root turning an actual red. Damn Foaly, foul his mood and she got the blame.  
  
"Nah, last week" she mumbled, Root went suddenly quiet. Holly silently cursed herself.  
  
"I've had enough of that pony boy for a morning," Good old Foaly "and I don't need you smart mouthing me off!" Holly nodded.  
  
"I know sir,'  
  
"And I need these reports up to date,"  
  
"Yes sir,"  
  
Holly's mind wandered as Root went on, she had been doing that a lot lately.  
  
"Holly!" Holly's attention snapped back.  
  
"Yes sir,"  
  
"Good," Holly wondered what she had agreed to. "Now get out."  
  
Holly shuffled out of the office still wondering what she had agreed to, she really had to pay more attention to Root. But his voice could sometimes be as boring as watching the grass grow. But watching his face turn red a perk.  
  
"Hey Holly" Holly turned around rubbing her temples to face Foaly, a cheesy grin on his face. "Was he mad?"  
  
"Yeah, and I got the entire backfire," she hissed, Foaly's smiled broadened. Holly glared at him. "What do you want?" she sighed.  
  
"Remember our friend Artemis?" Holly laughed. Remember?  
  
"We'll he's been getting some pretty interesting E-mails."  
  
"He gets E-mails?" Holly asked, Artemis was very... social. The centaur nodded.  
  
"Come on," they walked into his office, Holly never felt quite safe in there, not after the Opal Koboi incident. Foaly opened the E-mail.  
  
"I only checked it today, I found a ad looking for fairies, deleted it before it could get on the net, but he still got a reply. Two actually."  
  
"You show Root?" Holly asked reading the E-mails.  
  
"Not yet," he said puling out a small CD ROM, "Shall we?" Holly nodded, she could imagine Root's face if the Fowls had anything to do with it. He had had quite enough of them last year.  
  
"Yeah," Holly sighed. "Lets go,"  
  
Don't worry people it gets more exciting next chappy. 


	2. Clad in black

Chappy two.  
  
Disclaimer: you know the drill, I don't own them (sadly)  
  
And to my repliers:  
  
Grub Kelp: Thanks, it was kinda rushed and afterwards I did find some  
mistakes (my bad) but thanks anyways. And I don't have the books on me, (library ones) but I'm gunna read the third one to give me more of an idea  
of what's happening.  
  
Ever 1: I know! My stupid computer only accepts "Artimis" for some weird  
reason; I'll change it from now on. B/T/W thanks.  
  
Tase sighed as she looked up at the floor, up at the floor? She smiled to her self. She felt like an escaped lunatic. Cloaked in black with not even her eyes showing and a trusty sniper rifle by her side. She had made a deal with a dwarf to tunnel under the LEP building, not her preferred way, but good enough, Mulch someone? She didn't care now, all that mattered was she wasn't seen. Picking a small pick from her belt she chipped at a tile. Lifting it slightly she looked around the room. It was the ladies room, quiet convenient when there was only one female officer in the whole building. And she wasn't event there yet. Chipping out a few more tiles Tase slipped onto the floor and placed them back into their groves.  
  
'I'm in,' she muttered to a small microphone nested on her cheek. 'No kiddin', came the reply through a small speaker in her ear. 'No wait... on this is MacDonald's oh well, you want anything?" she smiled to herself as she poked her head out the door. A room beside her was empty, a small figure painted on the door, men's room, she had no business there. She closed the door quietly and looked under the door. One security offerer was starting to wonder up and down aimlessly. She had to be close to her summit. 'There's a camera in the top left hand corner.' The little voice in her ear croaked. 'I see it,' Tase whispered. 'Can you change to heat sensor?' 'Bite your thumb.' Tase bit her thumb hard as a small shock sapped her headgear. It wasn't usual the gear zapped the wearer, but Tase liked to bite her thumb just in case. She had seen some reach macho blokes yelp in pain from the zaps. A red figure popped up on her visor. Tase looked around, no one until the next room at least, plus a few cockroaches. Cutting a careful hole next to the hinges, Tase positioned her rifle, the camera's rotated, so she'd have about five seconds to shot the guard and move his body were the camera couldn't see him then play with the camera until it was replying old tapes. 3...2...1... The rifle made a small ping sound and the guard dropped to the floor. Not dead, just asleep. In one swift movement Tase pushed him under the camera and started adjusting it. 'Blue wire to red wire,' the little voice ordered. 'Very good.'  
  
Tase peered down the hall, the last one until she got to where she wanted. It would be the hardest. She had to pass five officers then get into the computer room. Tase smiled, she was born to do this, literally. She needed a distraction. She positioned the sniper; she had only three shots left. With the quiet ping she shot at a small pile of rags in the corner. A thud came as something that was wrapped in them was hit. Instantly the attention of all was caught and Tase slipped out, with a silent jump she stuck to the roof, a sticky ooze seeping through her gloves onto the roof holding her tightly. She lifted one hand and started to crawl along the roof. Again that sounded wrong, crawling on the roof? Tase took the time to look down; the offerers were in a group discussing something.  
  
'It just fell,' one tall, beefy guard told them, a few nodded in agreement, and some had concerned looks on their faces. None of them looked up, typical, just like humans, can't be bothered to look above there own eyesight. As she reached the other side she again pulled out her rifle. No doubt it would be hard to shoot from the roof but she could try, her target was the camera position on the corner left from her. Turning it on its side she took a wild shot at the camera. She watched as the dart hit the lens bounced back to the ground. Well, it would of if the tall beefy fairy wasn't in the way. With a thud he fell to the ground. Taking the chance Tase slipped into the computer room, Foaly's computer room. 'I'm in,' she smiled locking the door behind her. Obviously the centaur had been paranoid for his safety and had quite a few locks, it took about a minute or so to get them all done. 'Good, get the files,' the voice ordered. Tase mimicked the voice silently. 'Easier said than done,' she muttered. A tingle fluttered up her spine. Tase and her family were always more in touch with their 'animal instincts'. Having a quick glance around the room she spotted a camera. Why she hadn't looked before she had no idea, pulling out a human handgun she shot it. 1...2...3... static...  
  
~*~*~  
  
"So you know the mud boy has gotten E-mails?"  
  
"Yes,"  
  
"And you don't know who from?  
  
"No,"  
  
"Then find out!" Root's face turned it nice beetroot colour, "Are you as stupid as look Foaly?" Foaly gave Root a hurt look, Holly rolled her eyes. A knock came at the door.  
  
"Who is it?" sighed Root,  
  
"Sir," a thin looking fairy said entering the room. "A intruder had gotten into the computer room." Roots eyes widened. "You're meant to be guarding it!"  
  
"Yes sir but..."  
  
"Get out!" Root yelled, the frightened fairy did so with relief and stepped out of the office.  
  
"How?" Holly started. Foaly had already gotten a camera view on screen. A tall, black clad figure was loading something of the computer. It froze for a moment, then without warning whipped out a gun and shot the camera three times, static was all they got after.  
  
"That was a mud man gun," informed Foaly. Root snorted, chewing the end of his saggar.  
  
"But it looked like fairy technology for he head gear." He frowned. "Holly, what did the head gear look like?"  
  
"Umm, it was a green visor," she stared.  
  
"Lots of yellow buttons near the bottom? Holly nodded.  
  
"Why? What's that mean?"  
  
"It's a old piece of head gear, I can send out an electric shock, it'll sting a little." He added with an excited smiled. "But what are we dealing with?" Root asked. Foaly shrugged.  
  
"He had mud man weapons with fairy head gear. Dwarf gone suicide?"  
  
"No," Holly shook her head, "to tall,"  
  
"Shuttup," hissed Root rubbing his temples, "I'm thinking,"  
  
"Looks like you're having trouble, what? Haven't though in a while?"  
  
"Shuttup Foaly." He growled. "Get some men outside the room for when he tries to escape." Foaly put on a piece of headgear that was lying on a bench near root. He ordered a few orders and nodded at Root. "He's out and running, they'll get him no worries," he shifted the headgear.  
  
"Know what were dealing with Julius?" Root shook his head  
  
"Call me that again and I'll lock you in the same room as that thing." He rubbed his temples. Suddenly his eyes widened, "It couldn't be," he mumbled. "Faoly!" he shouted almost causing the centaur to fall of his chair. "Fire to unnerve, do not kill, DO NOT KILL!" 


	3. chappy 3

Chappy 3  
  
~*~*~ Hey people, in this chappy I'm actually gunna tell you how old Artemis is.  
I kow I should of done it B4, but I'm Lazy!!  
And my repyer:  
  
Ssenkard Tnelis- I hope I got ur name right and thanks so much! I know it's  
a bit confusing but a bit more will later be explained, I have only recently being able to get the third book and I don't always quickly reply!  
I just had that next chappy on a file.  
  
Tase took out the disk and placed it in a breast pocket. Now to get out. 'You right?' the ear voice asked 'Yeah,' sighed Tase 'no biggy.' She started unlocking the door. Pulling a small gas grenade out of her pocket Tase slipped open the door. Throwing the grenade in the middle of the room, immediately a lime green gas flooded the room. Several Lep offerers started choking on it. Tase jumped to the roof and started scuttling across the roof again. She jumped down and out the door. Not stopping for anything she dropped her Rifle and sprinted for the ladies room. She almost laughed o herself how weird it sounded. Shot's flew past her head.  
  
'SH!T!" she screamed ducking, 'Relax, shots are to unnerve not kill, get out of there Tase, they want you alive!' The voice inside her ear was desperate. 'Why alive?' she asked a bit more relaxed now she knew her chances of getting out had just risen. 'Why not?' Tase shrugged, alive suited her fine. She was fast, halls like this were her usual territory, and she was as fast as any fairy that knew this place like the back of his hand. A sudden sharp pain flew through the helmets visor. Tase doubled over. 'More warning please,' she moaned urging herself to go again. 'For what?' 'Argh!' Tase groaned again falling to her knees, as the shock gave her what felt like an extremely bad mindfrese. 'What the? Take it off! Take the helmet off!' The voice screaming in her ear didn't do much good. She ripped the helmet off, there must of being some signals sent to it. Tase turned around. Eight fairies stood, their weapons posed.  
  
One smiled and said to the microphone in his helmet. "Gotthim,"  
  
Tase smiled at the little men. One thing about the old LEP helmets was that they could self-destruct. One of the reason's they got the new helmet was because fairies were constantly setting them off accidentally and either hurting themselves or a-wearing the enemy of their whereabouts. Pressing a button with her thumb Tase threw the helmet at them lazily. It took them a few seconds to realize it was going to blow up before they retreated back. Tase turned her back and ran with her fingers in her ears. She knew how much damage those things could do. It's hard to describe what happened next, to say it 'blew' up would be an understatement. First it sent out an electric shock, and then, it self-destructed, blowing tiny pieces of metal through the air like throwing knives. And last but not least it caught fire, not a normal one, the flames were green because of the fumes and burned hot enough to melt gold. Deciding not to stay for the show Tase turned and ran to the ladies room. Damn that sounded strange. 'Get Him!' someone screamed, the voice was more feminie, defiantly the female officer. Tase shivered as she ran, she could hear footsteps coming from the other direction, and if she didn't get there in time she'd be surrounded.  
  
'Get HIM!" Root screamed behind Holly, she gave a small snort of disapproval, she had already said that. She glanced back at the guy they were following. The first thing she noticed about the figure was he was as tall as a mud man, but his stretcher wasn't as muscly as say butler or Atimis, even though Artimis wasn't really beefy and Butler was ten times the size of Holly, the figure's figure didn't look right. Second that he seemed quite fast for a mud man, he ran on the balls of his feet and when ever he turned a corner he seemed to skid until he was in a perfect position. But Holly knew no matter how good he was; he couldn't out run her, not with Foaly's voice buzzing in her ear anyway. 'The left broom closet will get you to a departure station that been abandoned for... three yeas now. I'd say that's were he's heading' Foaly paused. "What?" Holly asked waiting for a reply. "It's the only escape rout a...a mud man could take." Holly nodded and slipped down the passageway. A mud man? In the peoples territory? Holly could help but wonder if it were possible, oh well she'd find out shortly.  
  
Holly Sat in the craft ready for launch, she gripped the worn joystick tightly wondering if it was safe. It was old, and probably not built for high speed. Then again, it was built to withstand magma flows so it had to have some grunt.  
  
"Umm... Holly?" Holly shivered at Foaly's uncertain voice.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I wouldn't bother waiting, that guy'll be half way home by now. And I mean that if he lived in china." Holly sighed; he must have caught the earlier magma flow.  
  
"Any way, I'm gunna look over the images and see if we can figure this guy out, plus Root seems to have a good idea what were dealing with."  
  
Tase popped open the laptop, inserting the disk she dialled on her mobile phone,  
  
"Hey Chris,"  
  
"Hey," a voice mumbled over the phone, "You got the files?"  
  
Tase nodded her head without replying and E-mailed the files.  
  
"Gottem," the voice seemed to crackle, "Now go to bed, you've got a science test tomorrow," Tase snorted, she had just being somewhere none of her classmates would ever go, put herself in danger, for what? A file or two? And now he was telling her to go to bed?  
  
"Are you okay?" Luke asked noticing her temper by the silence, Tase looked over herself, touching a newly formed burn mark on her arm.  
  
"Nothing that won't heal," She muttered,  
  
"Whatever, lock the doors and I'll see you soon." Tase sighed and hung up the phone, looking around the park she was sitting in for anyone suspicious. She had just come out of hole in the ground that belonged to fairies. Who wouldn't be interested? She sighed and headed off to Chris' apartment. She'd just have to wait to see if he came back alive. But she was tired, her body earned for sleep and she did have a science test tomorrow.  
  
~*~  
  
Artemis flipped open the laptop on his lap, no doubt his parents would be home, could anyone really get past his father? Sure he had changed over the years, but Artemis doubted he would let someone slip his guard.  
  
As the car pulled up in the driveway Artemis checked for any signes of break-in. The first and most obvious thing was the front door was hanging wide open. Second, there was a pair of tyre marks that didn't belong to his Mercedes. And the third thing was the empty space his father's car should have been. It was three years after the Jon Spiro incident; of course this had been wiped from the 16 year olds memory, along with the memories of his butler, Butler, and his sister Juliet, and Artemis' powerful mind had detected something, what it was he had no idea, it was jus like an annoying fly buzzing in his brain, one he couldn't get rid of. Artemis cautiously stepped out of the car. Walking through the old building he headed for the computer room, his father had wanted to keep that, all he wanted was a normal family, but his old instincts nagged at him to keep at least a small watch. As Artemis walked he kept close notice if there were any give-aways of someone being there. There were plenty. It seemed whoever had come in didn't really have to much thought of being caught, or was really, really stupid. Artemis couldn't but help notice Butler was walking closer to him as well. His knees bent and his arms wide, just in case. Artemis walked into the computer to find it already boosted up, with the security cameras views on screen. He replayed the tapes watching closely as a figure jimmied open the door, had a bit of a wonder around and a good look at some of the Fowl portraits before he finally found the computer room, searched up something on the computer and left. Now, if Artemis could remember the things he used to track fairies he might of being able to track the file the figure opened. But, of course, he didn't remember anything about the LEP or fairies and most of his computer knowledge had been wiped. So he just starred in thought as he re-watched the figure nance out with a CD ROM, and one of his files. He sighed and put his fingers to his lips. An idea snapped to him as he focused the outside camera onto the figure. The camera could process the figures faster then the human eye, used for humming birds and so, but he had had it installed for shielded fairies. Shielded fairies? Where'd he come up with that? Something in the back of his mind begged to be remembered, but with his entire IQ, it did him no good but to ponder and get even more frustrated. "If I don't sound absurd," Butler asked making Artemis jump slightly. "Why did we get that camera?" Artemis sighed, so he wasn't the only one pondering. He sighed and looked back to the screen. If only he could remember, we'll, at least someone was trying to help him...  
  
Tase rubbed her nose as the files zoomed across the screen, a search engine, a dam good one at that. She flicked her head back to look at the door as she heard the locks click. Chris walked in with a small smile upon his thin dry lips. Tase drew her attention back to the screen.  
  
"How'd it go?"  
  
"I got Sarah to help, just gave him the note and left, you should of seen his face," he gave a small laugh, Tase had once thought it was impossible for his grime pale face to show glee, but anything's possible. Sarah was a girl Chris liked to use for personal meetings, no one knew how she was, which was great, and she was a fantastic actress, plus they didn't have to worry about been followed.  
  
Tase dropped her eyes down the screen.  
  
"I found some files on fairies, the kid must have E-mailed them to the site and asked for a later reminder."  
  
"I though all his stuff was wiped." Chris pointed out leaning over the teenagers shoulder.  
  
"All the stuff on the NET, the site was closed down, copyright or something, but they still have the file, I'm just having a hard time tracking it." Chris gave a snort of laughter,  
  
"Your hopeless." He motioned for her to get off the chair. Tase did so without complaint, hacking was Chris' stuff. She wandered off to the couch and curled up amongst the white silk pillows.  
  
Chris smiled to himself as fairy codes poured over the screen, along with writing explaining the codes and a diary. He read it with most satisfaction. Laughing at Artemis' one mistake, he had let it out on the net. Stupid kid, he thought to himself. As hopeless as Tase. He glanced at the sleeping girl, thought she looked innocent enough, she had a death-defying secret. One Root and Foaly had just figured out. 


	4. who is Lee Ving?

Chapter 4: Dunno what to call it so... Whose Lee Ving?  
  
"A vampire?" Holly asked raising her eyebrows.  
  
"Aye, a vampire," Foaly nodded. Holly looked at the running figure on the screen.  
  
"The mudmen killed them out ages ago." She muttered.  
  
"Yeah but you can't kill someone who hasn't been born yet can you?" Holly glanced at the centaur, the smug look on his face made her sick.  
  
"Well are you going to explain or am I gunna have to beat it out of you?" she asked. "I got a really flash baseball bat for Chrissie, and I'd love to try it out." She smirked. The centaur poked his tongue at her.  
  
"I find it hard to believe you're on the LEP," Root sighed as he walked in.  
  
"We're dealing with a vampire," Foaly informed him.  
  
"Yeah and I'm Santa Clause." Holly muttered.  
  
"We are dealing with a vampire," Root said giving Holly a glare. Holly snorted.  
  
"We can't be dealing with a vampire, they were wiped out,"  
  
"No they weren't" sighed Root sitting in his chair and rubbing his temple.  
  
"Meet Elizabeth Scott," Announced Foaly. Holly glanced at a picture of a woman pop up on the screen. "She's been pregnant for 199 years," Holly blinked at Foaly,  
  
"Uh huh,"  
  
"Seriously, her husband, a vampire, was killed 199 years ago, the last one... but she had a child, no one knew so she kept it a secret, being a mud man she wouldn't live for long, she was able to carry her half vampire half mud man kid for 199 years and still live, until she found a new love and decided to have her child. Unfortunately she forgot she was a mud man."  
  
"So?" Holly asked.  
  
"So? So mud men don't live for over 199 years."  
  
"We'll where is she now?"  
  
"Six feet under."  
  
"Oh,"  
  
"So she's dead, so is her husband, and we're dealing with there kid?" Root asked  
  
"Yep, a Mudpire,"  
  
"A Mudpire?"  
  
"Yep, half mud man half vampire."  
  
"That's lame Foaly,"  
  
"You've cut me deep, you've cut me real deep Holly." Holly rolled her eyes at the centaur.  
  
"So we're dealing with the last vampire left?"  
  
"Nope," Foaly shook his head, "Wrong again Holly, they used to bury vampires, but a few have been found, we've got them secure and happy."  
  
"How come I didn't know?" she asked glancing at Root.  
  
"Only a few were aloud Holly," he murmured lighting one of his trademark cigars. "So we're not dealing with the last vampire, we're dealing with the youngest."  
  
"But why would a vampire want to take files on the LEP security and building structure?" Foaly asked.  
  
"Run a scan for him, maybe he's working for someone,"  
  
"Oh," Foaly gave a surprised squeak as status popped on the screen. "It's a she,"  
  
"I KNEW IT!" Holly blurted out, "I knew it wasn't a mud man! I could tell by the figure, it wasn't structured right,"  
  
"Good for you sweetie,"  
  
"Shuttup Foaly,"  
  
"Seventeen and living with... Lee Ving, poor fellow, what a name," Foaly laughed.  
  
"Lee Ving," Root turned the name over in his head, "We've dealt with him before haven't we?"  
  
"Yeah but we erased his memory. Didn't we...?"  
  
The element with the symbol "K" is:  
  
Potassium Beryllium Lithium Argon  
  
Tase circled the letter 'A' and sighed with satisfaction at finishing her test. And five minutes to spare. Flipping her test over she started to draw a rabbit on the back, starring at it for a while she drew a bomb with its wick about to burn out, and scribbled: Watch this chemical reaction!  
  
"Pens down, time is up," a crusty voice barked, Tase glanced about the nervous faces around her. All girls, (being a girls school it wasn't surprising) had all stopped at the same time as the rusty voice, non of them rebellious enough to continue with those last few questions.  
  
"I am disappointed Kathy," Tase shivered as she felt the eyes of her teacher burn into her friend sitting behind her. "I really thought you could do better," she sighed and picked up Tases. "And I worry about your inappropriate drawings Tasef-lee," Tase bit her lip and turned in her chair to look at her teacher, overweight, sagging eyes, bittered over the years.  
  
"First of all Mrs K, when you try to intimidate someone with there full name, use there 'full name'. It's Tasef-leerander-octok-malubrander Lee, and secondly try to pronounce it right, and thirdly: is it really reasonable behaviour that encourages students by embarrassing them in class lowering their self-esteem that could be reported?" Tase cocked her head at her teacher. "Of course I'm just a minor..."  
  
"IN THE CORNER TASE!" Tase put her hands up in surrender and walked to a corner in the front of the room. Although she knew she would get a yelling at after wards, she was satisfied with the fact her teacher didn't make any more comments.  
  
"Chris Appleby," Artemis muttered. Glancing at the profile that had popped up on screen, it hadn't been hard to track him, he'd left so much evidence Artemis wondered why he didn't just leave a note.  
  
"He took a carrot," Butler reported walking into the computer room and leaning over Artemis' shoulder.  
  
"A carrot?"  
  
"Must have been hungry." Butler shrugged. "So who was he?"  
  
"Chris Appleby, probably a hopeless criminal,"  
  
"But he didn't steal anything..."  
  
"Except a carrot," Artemis reminded him, "But I can't figure out what files he took, he lives with Lee Ving... didn't that guy die 3 years ago? But this site hasn't been updated for 4 years..." Artemis jumped as a beep came from the speaker indicating he had received an E-mail.  
  
Curious he opened it.  
  
sorry I had 2 break in like tht but I couldn't find ur key. I believe u hve my car keys?  
  
Artemis let out a small laugh; Butler jingled the keys he had stolen on their first encounter with Chris, in his pocket.  
  
Met at Kindle st café tomorrow or I'll mke u cme.  
  
"I do believe he's threatening us," Artemis told Butler. "But you know I just can't pass down that café..."  
  
A/N: B/T/W Sorry 4 taking so long for this chappy. 


	5. an eye for an eye

** Chappy five **

The computer Foaly was on beeped with an E-mail.

"Artemis has another E-mail, who keeps sending those?" He muttered.

"No that kid again?" Root moaned remembering past years with the teenager, he sighed and leant forward still chewing his cigar. "What's it say?"

"Ha ha! The little brat stole some guy's car keys! But it's an invitation to a café sounds more like a threat actually."

"So what?" Root asked

"You don't think it's more than a coincidence that we get robbed and Artemis gets threat's via E-mail on the same day?" Holly asked.

"I wanna check it out," She said glancing at Root.

"Ooo," Foaly cooed.

"Shuttup Foaly,"

Artemis sat on the comfy red satin cushion on one of the chairs at Kindle Corner Café. Butler stood behind him in his usual black suit.

"We'll you may as well sit down," he sighed, he'd been waiting for over an hour now, the letter hadn't said a time so he turned up at 2 o'clock, and it was now 3:15.

Butler took a seat across from Artemis, a waitress came over and asked for an order, Artemis ordered his fifth flat white. He glanced at Butler,

"Maybe it was a prank," He scolded thinking off teenagers laughing there heads off at them still sitting there. That was one of the reasons he like that café, no teenagers running about, in-fact if there wasn't any staff the little café seemed abandoned.

"Here ya go," the waitress interrupted his line of thought, Artemis grunted in reply.

The waitress looked a bit downhearted but walked away.

"No offence but you need to learn how to socialize, the noble prize insist going to do that for you, and you could try being a little nicer," Artemis blink in surprised, it was rare that Butler ever suggested or even gave him advice on his life. He paused for a moment.

"And did that just fell like a de-ja-vu' to you?" he added, Artemis nodded slightly, if it wasn't for Butler feeling the same things, he would have considered himself insane. Butler could keep him safe on the outside but what would happen if someone tried missing with his brain? No, he had to high an IQ to be overrun by brainwashing, didn't he?

Butler stood up and walked behind Artemis again. It took a moment for Artemis to realize a man was coming over to their table.

"Good afternoon gentlemen," he said sitting across for Artemis. Artemis studied the man, a dark suit like his, with a raspberry coloured shirt underneath.

"I believe you are Artemis," the man smiled, half hidden by dark glasses.

"You're younger than I expected,"

Artemis smirked at this remark.

"Matter of fact the younger the better," he smiled and took of his sunglasses to reveal chocolate brown eyes. He stretched out is hand which Artemis noticed had scars old and new.

"I'm Chris," He smiled easily,

"I take it you're the one that robbed me then,"

Chris laughed, and leaned back casually.

"Indeed I did, but it's all in good fun," he said giving Artemis a playful punch; Butler punched Chris back twice as hard almost knocking him off his chair. The startled man blinked a few times, and then rubbed his shoulder as if to bring life back to it.

"Good to see one of gets the joke eh?" he asked Artemis glaring at Butler.

"First things first..." Chris started.

"Have you got a weapon?" Artemis cut him off, Chris laughed deep in his throat.

"I had already noticed your... err, 'friend' does, so is it not fair that I to have one?"

Artemis nodded in agreement.

"Fair enough..."

A sudden flutter of features made the males jump, about fifty pigeons had been startled by a girl running through them. Butler's hand had automatically shot to a handgun by his hip, a gas bomb hung by it and two gas masked that were small enough to fit into his pocket.

The girl finished her sprint; using one hand to support her, jumped a small fence into the coffee yard. A small shoulder bag hung around her waist and she had baggy jeans and a tight long sleeved shirt.

"Hi sorry I'm late," she muttered swinging the bag over her bleached hair and sitting herself down across from Butler at the round table. Artemis studied her for a moment from the corner of his eye, she had pale skin, the girl he had met in the park, but she had obviously tried to get rid of her gothic look with bleached hair and bright clothes. Her eyes were a rusty green and her lips were pale pink. Normally Artemis would have judged her by her clothes but she seemed to have covered herself up so much it was hard to tell her personality by the outside.

The girl glanced to Butler sitting front of her.

"Hi," she smiled.

"Stand up," Butler demanded. Glancing around then at Chris, she decided not to take her chances with the big fella and stood up. Butler went behind her and searched her sides for any weapons.

"I'm not a terrorist you know?" She muttered over her shoulder. Satisfied she didn't have a weapon he let her sit back down and went back behind Artemis.

The girl just glanced up at the big man.

"I know your Artemis but who are you?" She asked looking up at the manservant.

"That's Butler," Artemis informed her.

"And he is a...?"

"Butler,"

"Oh, a butler called Butler, how original." Chris glared at the girl; she shrugged innocently and muttered something under her breath.

"Anyways I'm Stacey,"

"Okay Stacey, what's your real name?" Artemis asked. The girl smiled.

"I'm Stella,"

"You real name,"

"Jamie,"

"Don't lie to me,"

"What use is a name anyway? Can't you just call me Stacey?"

"You know our names, why can't we know yours?"

"But I like the name Stacey,"

"Just tell me your real name,'

"What have you got against Stacey?"

Butler reached across the table and grabbed her arm.

"We don't have time for games missy," the girl winced and struggled, trying to pull her arm away. Chris sat back and let things happen.

"Okay just let go,"

"Tell us your name,"

"LET GO!" she yelled back. Artemis nodded and Butler let go, the girl pulled her hand back.

"Dam it! You've got hands like bananas... ow," she rubbed her wrist to get feeling back.

"Now you can either tell us you name, or we can force it out." Artemis said. The girl looked up still rubbing her wrist.

"What are you? some kind of sick weirdo?"

"Tasef-leerander-octok-malubrander Lee" Butler read out, the girl glanced at him in surprise.

"That's my bag! Give it back!" She yanked it off of the manservant and hugged the shoulder bag close to her.

"Take off the wire," Artemis demanded. Tase's jaw dropped and she glanced at Chris in protest. He shrugged, Tase glanced at Artemis and swallowed. Artemis smiled his vampire smile. Tase smiled back and flashed her canines that seemed longer than any Artemis had seen before. Pulling a small microphone from her ear she shoved it in her pocket.

"And give it to me," Artemis added.

"Bite me," she snapped in a quiet voice leaning back as if to get further away from Butler

"You don't learn do you?" Artemis asked. Tase smiled back and through the microphone at him; it bounced off his forehead and landed in his coffee. A small cheeky smile crossed Tase's pale lips.

"Go it right in there didn't I?" She lent forward. "Hey, it floats!" she laughed. Chris just shook his head, Artemis sighed, why of all the people in the world did he get stuck with some good for nothing teenager?

"As I said, first things first," Chris chirped, trying to get their minds off the immature teenager sitting next to him.

"May I have my car keys please?" He asked holding his hand out. Artemis glanced up at the man; he lifted his hand to show he understood.

"I see, why give me something with nothing in return? You think like a criminal boy. I like that" he paused to look at Tase whom's attention had strayed elsewhere. "Unlike this one," he muttered nodding at Tase. "Okay Mr Fowl, I have some information that I think, you'd like to have back."

"You mean the files you stole?" Artemis asked

"We'll not really, I just got a website from you, what I really need you for I would prefer to discuss somewhere less... open..."

Artemis raised an eyebrow,

"I would never..."

"NANCY!" Artemis jumped as his mother walking right into their conversation. "Oh how are you dear?" she asked.

Tase seemed startled by Mrs Fowl and forced a smile.

"Err... can't complain, you?"

"Oh I'm fine thanks for asking!" she rubbed Tase's shoulders, "You're such a sweetheart, Oh! And you must be her father?" she asked Chris. Chris stood and shook her hand.

"Ar, you must be Mrs Fowl, I see where Artemis gets his looks." Artemis could see his mother was already charmed to bits.

"I'm Chris, Tase's... father,"

Mrs fowl looked confused for a moment,

"And Nancy," he added quickly, "Their twins,"

"Oh how lovely! We'll I just had to drop something off to Arty, I've got a very busy day," She walked to Artemis and slipped a package into his hands then left as cheerfully as she had arrived.

"So whatchya got _Arty_?" Tase teased

"Nothing that concerns you _Nancy_" Artemis snapped, wait, was that sarcasm? Next he'd be teaching monkeys to ride bicycles.

He shoved the package in his pocket.

"Back to business," he sighed, Tase immediately turned around letting her gaze wonder. He watched her for a moment.

"She's scanning the area," Chris informed him, "It's her job," Artemis turned his mind back to Chris.

"Lee Ving," he muttered remembering the name, "Who is he?"

"He was Tase's adoptee father, he died, and I now look after his apartment and Tase. But as I was saying, I was wondering if I could use some of your knowledge in an operation of mine?" He asked leaning forward, Butler tensed up a bit but didn't move.

"What's the operation?"

Tase laughed at his question.

"This is going to sound so stupid."

"Fairies," Chris said ignoring Tase. Artemis lifted an eyebrow.

"They stole or peanut butter," Tase added with a laugh,

"Shuttup Tase," Chris barked. "I know it sounds stupid but..."

"I remember," Butler muttered, Artemis glanced at him, he sat still as a stone yet limp as a sleeping kitten.

"Really? That was quick," Tase muttered, "We didn't even have to say a keyword." Chris nodded in agreement but didn't take his gaze off Artemis.

"Anything Artemis?" He asked softly. Artemis glanced at Butler, he might have considered it to be one of those hidden camera shows, but Butler wouldn't turn on him, would he?

Butler seemed to come back to life and sat up straight again. He glanced at Artemis.

"Do you remember?" he asked. Artemis glanced around. Remember what?

"Okay," Tase muttered loudly turning around to face them,

"There here," she whispered to Chris. Butler instantly under stood what they were talking about, memories of the LEP were as clear as ice in his head.

"So what do you say?" Chris asked, Artemis noticed he wasn't talking to him anymore, but to Butler.

"No," Artemis shook his head, Butler paused, he knew it was up to him to decide, 1) because Artemis didn't have a clue what was going on, and 2) Because it was up to him to figure out if he refused, weather Chris would attack and if he could win.

"Yes," he said nodding, the chance of Chris being the only one who would ever know how to gain Artemis' memory back was too great, and Butler didn't want to explain all those years ago about the fairies to Artemis.

"What?" Artemis asked, maybe his faithful Butler had turned against him. "No," Artemis repeated again.

"We're going, it's probably for your own good," Butler muttered quietly. Artemis suddenly felt a feeling he rarely felt, fear. If Butler turned against him now he was stuck with two crazy men and a hypo teenager.

"Trust me," Butler said softly, Artemis tensed, unsure of what to do.

"Com'on or the whole LEP force will be here," Tase muttered under her breath to Chris. Butler paused, the LEP? They never did anything to interfere with the mud-men. Not while Julius Root was captain anyway.

"What have you got against the LEP?" Butler asked. Atremis glanced up at Butler, he was sure he had heard that word before.

Chris slipped a disk across the table.

"Give us the keys and we'll stop annoying ya," he said in a different accent. Artemis raised his eyebrows and glanced around.

"I forgot them," he shrugged, it was his turn to play.

"Matter of fact I think I dropped them in my last cup of tea when I was playing catch with them." Artemis paused, he made a joke? Maybe he was insane...

Tase turned around and poked her tongue at him.

"And for all I know there could be nothing on that disk." Artemis pointed out.

"And you wouldn't need it if you could just remember," Snapped Tase. "Com'on think harder mudman,"

With that one word it all came flooding back. The faires, the LEP, his mother his father, Holly, Root, Foaly...

"Oh," Atremis muttered blankly.

"He remembers!!!" Shouted Tase.

"Shuttup Tase," Chris growled. "We have something to discuss with you but maybe it would be better if we didn't talk in such a crowded area." Chris hinted. Artemis glanced around, now understanding that there could be a whole troop of fairies just waiting for them.

"You wouldn't be doing anything illegal would you now?" Artemis asked, sure that the LEP would never come out on an occasion like this for nothing.

"Don't be difficult Artemis." Chris advised. "We just want some information... about the LEP" He was still leaning back in he's chair looking like they were just discussing something simple like the weather. Artemis suddenly noticed something. There was no noise, all the staff had gone and the café was locked up tight.

"Look, Artemis, I'm a patient fella, but you, and your little sidekick can come with me now, or I can make you."

Butler cracked his knuckles.

"I'd like to see you try," Artemis smirked.

"You're in a deserted café in a deserted street and no one around and you just said _that_ to Chris Appleby?" Tase asked glancing over her shoulder. "Mate you really underestimate him."

In half a millisecond Chris had pulled a handgun out of his silk jacket, but as always, Butler was two steps ahead and had taken advantage of what Tase had said and dropped one of his gas bombs in the deserted area.

(Holly's POV)

Holly had been waiting, shielded, on the roof for as long as Artemis had been there, and quite frankly she wanted a coffee herself. Then the Chris and the girl came, Holly wasn't to concerned at first, laughing at the girl calling Artemis weird and dropping the mic in his coffee, that girl was a classic.

"Is that her?" She asked Foaly through a microphone.

"Yep that's our mudpire. Tasef-leerander-octok-malubrander Lee what a mouthful, Taflerockmarlel was her father. Another mouthful, but who would seriously name there kid that?"

Holly rolled her eyes and watched the group again.

"Whose the guy?"" Holly asked.

"Chris Appleby, petty criminal. Can you hear what there saying?"

"Nope," Holly sighed. Suddenly the Chris guy pulled out a gun, but Butler was already pulling Atremis away from the fumes of a gas bomb.

"Crap!" Yelled Holly flying down to help."

WHACK!

Artemis sat in surprise, until Butler picked him up and started dragging him.

"DUCK!" Artemis yelled, but not in time, a thick piece of wood smacked the Butler over the back of the head. Butler dropped Artemis for a second and turned to his attacker. Chris stood there with a gun cocked and pointed at Butler. Tase was behind him fighting an invisible foe with the piece of wood Chris had used, she hit something the same time as Butler grabbed the gun from Chris' hands. The thing that Tase hit flew across the coffee yard and hit a wall, fell and became unshielded.

"Holly!" Artemis cried, he remembered the fairy and jumped up.

Butler glanced over at the unconscious fairy as the same time a fist flew to his face. It didn't affect him much he just turned back to the guy that had hit him.

"Come here you little brat," Chris seemed surprised he hadn't affected the Butler at all and darted over to Tase, grabbed her hand and pulled her off into the street. Butler stood unsure of what to do for a moment, then grabbed Artemis and went over to Holly.

"Tase, Tase wake up," Chris slapped the teenagers face gently, her eyes widened.

"Can't breath!" she wheezed.

"Don't worry, remember you don't have to, vampires don't have to breath, good girl."

Chris glanced around the ally,

"See? Your fine," he sat her up, "We're not done for tonight,"

"Chris," She sighed, "I'm half dead,"

"Hold you're deal Tasef," Chris barked suddenly, Tase felt her body shaking; the cold ground below her wasn't helping. Plus she had to keep her end of the deal.

"Okay, what do you want?"

"The kid, but you have to be the distraction.

"Holly wake up," Artemis shook her small body, she gave a moan then her hazel eyes fluttered open.

"Hi Holly," Butler said.

"Hey Butler," Holly replied. "What happened?"

"That Tase girl used you for baseball practice."

"Oh,"

"Yeah I don't like you much," Artemis jumped; Tase was standing overhead on the roof.

"Nothin' personal," she assured them.

"Okay why don't you just come down?" Butler asked. Tase cocked her head to the side.

"To you banana hands? Where's the gun? The one Chris dropped?"

"I don't know Tase," Butler replied in a strong firm voice, he was trained for stuff like this. Artemis scanned for the gun; it was under one of the tables.

"I haven't go the gun, so why don't you just come down?"

"You'd like that," she smirked accidentally giving her undivided attention to Butler as Artemis sneaked over to the gun, and where Chris would be waiting hidden.

"I'll kill you," Holly muttered rubbing her head.

"Yeah sorry," Tase apologised, she didn't bother with the act anymore, Chris would have Artemis and she would be free, finally.

"Maybe you should see a doctor or something," She suggested. Holly glanced up at Tase.

"Look a me for a sec," Tase starred at her for a moment before realizing her mistake. She had been caught with the _mesmeriser_ (Sp?). But now Chris and Artemis would be long gone. And all she could do was stare at Holly.

"Nuts," She managed to squeak.

Footsteps came close to her, and she was stuck on the roof of a coffee house. There was only one thing she would be able to do, with what strength she could use. The sticky clear ooze, oozed out of her fingertips onto the tiles. She felt Butler grab her collar and try to pull her off. To his surprise she was stuck fast. He pulled again, almost yanking Tase's bones out of her sockets, but even his strength was no match for the sticky ooze.

"She's stuck," He muttered in confusion.

"No she's not," Holly muttered, Tase clenched her teeth together trying to break the _mesmerise_. Her whole body shivered. Butler reached for her again, Tase couldn't stick anymore and let go, Butler yanked her off the roof with such a force that when she landed she blacked out completely.

Really sorry to anyone who bothered to read my story, I'll try and add more later.


End file.
